This is the first time we’ve agreed on something Libby. They are rewarding the American Tax-payers who bailed them out with offshoring more of their jobs (most of their customer service has been outsourced) and moving people around.

“Let’s lay a ton of people off when we know its really hard to find equal or close employment, and put employees in states where the market dictates that we won’t have to pay them as much. But seriously don’t touch my check.”
– AIG executive

The company is not responsible for keeping people employed just because it’s “really hard to find equal or close employment.” People work because they are perceived to add value to a company. When this isn’t true, they should find another company where they can add value.

the company CEO will tell you he is trying to reward their stockholders, who are described as poor little old ladies living off of their stock dividends. but when you check stock ownership, its usually the top management with stock options who are getting rich off of the work of others – ain’t america GREAT!!!

I’m not, but I see nothing wrong with managing assets better than the next guy and getting richer. As long as it is done with absolute integrity. Also, without proof, I would never assume that big profits were not obtained with absolute integrity.

They are based in NY. If they were smart they’d move a lot more out of that high overhead, high tax state. It’s a wonder there is any profit at all. As prudent agents you should be asking what else they can do to save money rather than raise premiums.

To the comments above I say…please cut AIG some slack here. They need to make the company more profitable to ensure they will have the financial means to pay claims and “yes” make a profit for the shareholders which includes me with my 1 share of stock. The actions they are taking are tough but so are the financial conditions of the day. The management team has a responsibility to insureds, shareholders, current and future employees to be profitabable and stay in business. It is not greed it is common sense.

This is to what I was referring in the other article regarding factors leading to a lower labor participation rate. AIG will tell the remaining employees to work harder, smarter, faster and longer at the same wage if they want to keep their jobs. All the while, basking in their $2 billion in profit.

Seriously, Ron? Do you think Agent will admit he gets anything we say?

February 18, 2014 at 1:53 pm

Ronsays:

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Libby,

Based on his posts and from where he obtains information, he seems to be the type who can be influenced by repeating the same message over and over again. It is easier than actually thinking and/or doing some actual research.

February 18, 2014 at 2:17 pm

Libbysays:

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Well, you certainly are testing that theory out! Unfortunately, you’d have to change your on-line handle to Drudge or FoxNews for him to pay attention! LOL!

February 19, 2014 at 4:29 pm

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Ron, perhaps you don’t remember the numerous problems AIG has had for years. The first big blow up was the Marsh Mac bid rigging scheme they and others were caught in. Then, their financial division got caught up in the sub prime mess and ended up costing the taxpayers $182 Billion and change. Thank you, but we don’t need any of these arrogant northern know it all’s in Texas. Stay north of the Mason Dixon line, please. Oops! They can’t because their operating costs are so high in NY and they are taxed so much, it doesn’t make sense to stay there. Maybe NC will take them.

February 24, 2014 at 2:01 pm

txmouthbreatherboogereatertxsays:

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Awe shucks Agent. I though you finally understood the financial relationship between red state and blue state. We subsidize the south because it is littered with a condition called Generational Autism of the South (GAS for Short). Couple that with all the slack jaws that can pitch a revival tent and finds ways to not have to pay taxes through their “charitable organization”. Just wait until the Texican-‘Murrican War of 2020 when Texican President Rick Perry tries to send his cowboys over the Great Wall of Enid, OK. Then we will rightfully return Texico to where it belongs, in Mexico.

February 14, 2014 at 5:31 pm

cassandrasays:

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How many of the ones to be terminated were the faithful that worked their butts off when AIG was in its troubles?

So much for gratitude. So much for loyalty to the worker bees. Hope all the NY insureds bail.

The same thing every other administration before has done…nothing. That is becasue we have a capitalist economy that puts profits before people. If a company can make more money sending jobs overseas, they should.

If the government actually tried to implement something to stop jobs from going overseas, they would be called Socialists.

Yes, there are things that need to be done, but I’m not sure how you go about changing trade agreements that are in place and approved by the World Trade Organization. I doubt it’s as easy as you might think.

And Libby, anything worth while is a tall task. If he cant get it done, he needs to step aside.

February 18, 2014 at 3:32 pm

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He’s only one man, FFA. You expected so little of past presidents, but the world of him. He INHERITED this mess and in my opinion, he’s done a decent job of not letting the country go completely down the shitter. You expect miracles out of mayhem in only 5 years. It’s completely unrealistic, especially with all the opposition he’s up against from his own countrymen that happen to be Republican. I’d like to see you do a better job.

February 18, 2014 at 5:52 pm

FFAsays:

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My point is that he knew this was going on day one. He has not taken any action to stop it in 5 years. I dont think anyone in the republican party would stand in his way to stop the exporting of jobs.

It has to start somewhere. Buck stops at the top. In my opinion, he sat by watching the country go down the shitter. Obama Care has increased the need for action now. That alone is costing jobs.

Past Presidents are exactly that – PAST. What they did is done and over with. They made mistakes. He needs to step up and correct them.

I dont recall stating anything about past presidents other then they are history. And by the way, screw the WTO. We need our jobs in our country to feed the people in our country.

February 19, 2014 at 10:28 am

Ronsays:

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FFA,

I don’t think anyone disagrees with you that the exporting of jobs is a huge issue. It is a direct result of Capitalism. What could President Obama or any other President do to stop it without being called a Socialist dictator?

February 19, 2014 at 11:49 am

FFAsays:

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Ron, I dont know what he can or cant do. My guess – start pressing congress on legislation that would stop it or at lease hinder it / slow it down. He has a phone. He has a pen.

Five years of doing nothing is unacceptable in my book. I would guess it is unacceptable to all those that lost their jobs too.

Someone has to do something.

February 19, 2014 at 12:22 pm

Ronsays:

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FFA,

As much as I defend Presaident Obama at times, I am also frustrated. However, if he does something unilaterally without Congress, he is called a dictator. Besides, the Constitution limits any one person’s power considerably.

What has given you any indication that Congress has any desire to work with him? The top priority of Republicans since 1/20/2009 has been to make President Obama look bad.

I have always compare the President of the United States to a quarterback, too much credit when things go well, too much blame when things go poorly. He is just another cog in the machine.

February 19, 2014 at 1:24 pm

FFAsays:

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Ron, I do believe that if there was a common sense Jobs Bill, Congress would play ball.

Congress Approved these trade agreements. Obama could push them to get do something in to pull them back.

This problem lands on both sides of the isle. They approved it. They can pull it. Someone somewhere has to do something to stop it.

February 24, 2014 at 5:01 pm

txmouthbreatherboogereatertxsays:

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FFA says:

And Libby, anything worth while is a tall task. If he cant get it done, he needs to step aside.

-I guess based on this theory, we should have asked Pope Ron Jeremy Reagan to step aside from his war on drugs then, right?

February 18, 2014 at 7:45 pm

nomesanemansays:

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$265,000,000 severance cost divided by 1500 workers = $177,000 severance cost per individual tells me these are not your normal “worker bees”, but duplicate mangement around the world as AIG “merges” with itself.

Ron, since you are an Obama defender of the first order, I was amazed to see you say that the Constitution limits the power of any one person’s power considerably. Ron, please wake up. Obama will continue to abuse his power and dictate until Congress draws up Impeachment Articles. The arrogant one will continue to do his thing because he can and no one is stopping him. By the way, who has stopped Harry Reid from trashing all the bills sent his way from the House in the past 5 years. Obama may have vetoed most of them, but they never are debated or voted on by the Senate so they never reach Obama’s desk to be considered. No one should have that much power in a Constitutional Republic.

He finds it easy to change the laws of our land. 5 years of doing nothing has made things worse. Inflation. Joblessness. Continued export of Jobs. Its just a mess. Something needs to be done. Instead, Immigration is his priority. Raising Min Wage is his priority.

FFA, I am sure you saw the article that the CBO says that by raising the minimum wage with the pen Obama wants to use, it will cost an additional 500,000-1,000,000 jobs in the country. Everything Obama and the liberals want to do in this country kills jobs and increases the tax burden on legitimate businesses. Raise the wage, lay off more people or reduce hours. There is just so much in the till that a business can stand and labor costs are already the biggest cost a business has.

FFA, something tells me that Obama advised Quinn to raise taxes in Illinois thinking it is sure to increase jobs there. By the way, Scott Walker is now sitting on a budget surplus in Wisconsin for the first time in years because he knows how to lead, create jobs to stay there and get the state back in the black. In Texas, we will have a big budget surplus when the legislature convenes this spring and we have no state income tax. How did we do that?

And now it was announced that we will be reducing our military to pre Dubya Dubya II days as we begin to end our offensive war in the Middle East. That is unless Haliburton needs more subsidized military support for their drilling process. Guess all those order taking buzz cuts from Texico will be still taking orders, but this time it will be at Jack in the Box instead of the government jobs we provided with North ‘Murrican tax dollars.

February 19, 2014 at 4:35 pm

Agentsays:

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FFA, do you remember when Obama made Jeffrey Immelt of GE to head up domestic Job Creation? Shortly after that, Immelt took a whole division of GE in Wisconsin and moved it to China. So much for creating or saving jobs in America. After GM was bailed out, they opened several factories in China to make GM cars. So much for creating domestic jobs, right?

It is all part of the agenda FFA. The Cloward-Pivin strategy of bringing down the greatest country ever conceived and Capitalism in general to create a Socialist state with equal income for everyone. The problem is that income equality will result in everyone being equally poor. Venezuela under Chavez and the current regime is now starting to see riots in the streets over their Socialist/Dictator regime. The Ukraine is giving Putin fits wanting to join Europe to get away from Russian influence. The whole world is turning upside down.

Change is inevitable.. whom ever decided to Globalize the economy is to blame for this mess.

Lack of action from all administrations is sickening.

February 25, 2014 at 12:18 pm

txmouthbreatherboogereatertxsays:

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It’s not “The” Ukraine it’s Ukraine. That would be akin to The China

February 25, 2014 at 10:35 am

Agentsays:

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Hey Booger, you are a little off on your numbers on the reduction of the military. The military will be reduced to the same numbers existing in 1940. If you have studied any history which I doubt, our military was so unprepared, they got caught with their pants down on December 7th, 1941 at Pearl Harbor. FDR wanted that to happen so we could convert to a war economy and get him out of the Great Depression since it wasn’t happening any other way for nearly 10 years. Perhaps that is Obama’s strategy as well. Get attacked again and we can put the unemployed back in the military and ratchet up military spending and manufacturing.

FFA, the biggest problem with Globalization is that it seems to be a one way street. Most of our trading partners want to import their goods to us, but have restricted our products to them. China is the biggest offender followed by Japan, India and others. If we truly had free trade, they wouldn’t put the high tariffs on our goods. I wonder how they would scream if we put high tariffs on their goods. Everybody takes advantage of our politician’s stupidity in negotiating trade.

Agent,
Some of your points are valid, and the complaints (especially with China and dumping of goods and currency manipulation) need to be addressed to the WTO. We are not the only country that China takes advantage of. For example, China’s unfair trade practices have caused a large amount of hostility among many nations in the Middle East and sub Sahran Africa.
However, the United States plays the game as well. For example, if we did not place tariffs on other countries’ textile goods, our textile industry would crumble fairly quickly. Other countries have a comparative advantage in this industry, but government policy prevents these countries from improving their economic well-being.
Where are the textile states in the US? Three big states are: North Carolina, Virgnia and Ohio. Three swing states with voters that neither Democrat nor Republican politicians want to offend.

I am not sure which one you are referring to FFA. The one I saw on Nugent had to do with Greg Abbott who is running for Governor and they kept badgering him and asking if he would campaign with Ted Nugent because of his colorful language about his opponent, the now infamous Wendy Davis. Wendy is such a great gal that she accused Abbott of faking his paralysis to gain the sympathy vote. I wonder why CNN doesn’t follow her around and question her totally false statements. Oops! We do know they have lost over half of their viewership in the past 5 years in their support of Obama. Back in the day, we used to call them the Clinton News Network so I am afraid I don’t follow them for real news.

Yes, I am afraid Wolfyboy didn’t get far with Newt. Newt is too sharp to fall for that nonsense. By the way, what does it mean to a Texas governor’s race if Nugent does his own thing? The last time I checked, he wasn’t running for anything. Call Wendy Davis on the carpet for the vile things she has been saying. Gregg Abbott hasn’t said these things.

So the new Executive Order is to order business to only hire blacks or hispanics if they apply over any white candidate, male or female. Reverse discrimination is what I call it. Perhaps they will rename the White House the Black House or in his case the Muslim House.

The Muslim House (and also the Black House) are totally uncalled for Agent. Unfortunately, you represent a small segment of Americans that still believe Barack Obama is Muslim.

Here is some updated information-Obama was baptized as a Christian, and he was married in a Christian Church. Therefore, we can deduce that he is Christian. Moreover, even if he was a Muslim, is there anything wrong with that? The 1st Amendment clearly protects freedom of religion.

I thought the days of religious bias were long behind us after the election of JFK. Unfortunately, it still remains.

FFA: Where did you get ordering businesses to hire minorities out of “One model for the new effort is a mentoring program in Chicago called “Becoming A Man,” which encourages young men to develop education and job training goals.”

You Republicans moan and groan about the drain on society of the so-called “welfare entitled generation”, yet you disparage any attempt to change the culture that created it.

We SHOULD be encouraging that demographic to obtain an education, get and keep a job, and become a contributing member of society. Instead, you call it racism. Shame on you and all like you.

The young, low information voters voted for Hope & Change and women voted for Birth Control & Abortions. By the way, if another poll were taken, I think you would find some substantial shifting after they have had a taste of reality. Michelle was on Jimmy Fallon and proudly announced that the young needed Obamacare because they are all knuckleheads. I wonder how that made the young feel about the leadership.

Yes, the Des Moines economy is doing well. The economy has a strong contingent of financial services firms, insurance companies, etc? Companies locate in Iowa because of the state’s strong educational system. The average student’s SAT score in Iowa is among the top 4 states in the country.

It is no wonder why Iowa is turning from a “purple” state to a “blue” state.

February 21, 2014 at 4:37 pm

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Of course I did. He was not from IL. He was against the disruption in the health care. He ran the Olympics successfully.

Pardon my Comm Coll education. Not everyone can be as smart as you. Not everyone is entitled to the preferential treatment minorities get. I did it the old school way. work Full Time while going to school full time. Nothing handed to me but a stack of apps, a few manuals and a pat on the back “Go Get Em Tiger”. No guarantees. How about you? Riding Daddys Coat Tail? Enjoying preferential treatment at the expense of the tax payer?

February 25, 2014 at 5:32 pm

Agentsays:

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Prove your sources Troll. By the way, I have seen a number of interviews of college students or graduates on the street. Most don’t even know who the Vice President is even when shown a picture of him. So much for higher education since they don’t teach history, civics or much of anything else. That is called dumbing down the society. All these people know is who is on Dancing with the Stars or what Mike & Molly are up to. Current events are completely foreign to them.

These kids and their damn Mike & Molly. I caught 2 kids watching them why just a few weeks ago. I told them if they didn’t cut that out, I was going to send them to Ted Nugent but this time he wasn’t going to pay their parents. They’re a watchin’ some good values shows now. Andy Griffith and them there Waltons. But that there Don Knotts sure went left on us when he did Three’s Company didn’t he? Some time we have to change the channel because of some heavy pettin’ but we get by. When they’s a good, we let them watch them Duke Boys for the action. Night Jawn Boy!

February 21, 2014 at 3:50 pm

Insurance 102says:

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If a poll were taken today, Hillary Clinton would be President over any GOP candidate.
Those are not my words. Those words are John McCain’s.

I don’t think you win plaudits by calling young people and naive and stereotyping what the majority of women would vote for.
Ronald Reagan (among other Republican candidates) did well among female voters by not buying into your Rush Limbaugh mantra.

Hope & Change are EXACTLY what this program is, Agent. And I, as a woman, resent you speaking for me and the reasons I voted the way I did. You are not qualified to do so. Speak for yourself and the reasons you voted for Romney and leave women out of it.

And young people are knuckleheads. Fortunately most of them grow out of it.

Libby the liberal. All the post election polls had many of reasons why women favored Obama in the last election. They tend to be more liberal than men and they want to be taken care of. I wonder what they are thinking now that Obamacare has kicked in and they see the astronomical bills they have to pay, the deductible options, out of pocket expenses. Pretty expensive to have maternity benefits, abortion, birth control if you are in your mid 50’s, don’t you think?

FFA, you can always tell when we get under the skin of a Progressive troll like 102. They sit there down thumbing repeatedly until they get to 45 or 50 dislikes. That’s ok. So what. You and I know we speak the truth and they lie through their teeth just like their exalted leader. Did you catch the Michelle comment that the young are knuckleheads? That is what they think about their constituents. By the way, I think 102 and Planet may be kissing cousins in more ways than one since they are both apparently from Iowa and their brains have been frozen this winter.

I guess if the easy was given to me, I would have taken that route too. Then I can work 4-5 hours for 8 hours of pay and then blast the very people that write my check. All the while doing something that I am not paid to do on the company computer. Too bad I’m not ABC-American being entitled to preferential treatment. Too bad I’m just an American that believes in God and hard word – an honest 8 for an honest 8. I’ll be working tomorrow while he sits on his high horse enjoying his week end.

FFA – either you did not read the article, comprehend the article, or you are just dimwitted. This particular demographic has double the unemployment rate of the average. His initiative is to change the culture of that demographic to value education and encourage job goals. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT????

There are things about which you have no clue. If you knew some of them, you would chock on your implication. The color of a mans skin makes no difference to me at all.
It is a way of life that I am against, not a race. To develop programs for one race and not another, thats racist in my book.

This particular program is targeted for the particular DEMOGRAPHIC (not race) that is most affected by unemployment, lack of education, and no job goals. Just as some programs are targeted to seniors, women, or children. If black & hispanic males of a certain age group are the affected group, there is nothing racist about creating a program to help them. You need to check your Obama hate at the door, man.

Kind of hard to do while he and his IRS goons screw me they way they are. I follow the letter of the law as verified by two CPS and two Tax Attorneys. I am getting screwed. Hard.

We are just going to have to agree to dis agree on this matter.

February 24, 2014 at 4:46 pm

Libbysays:

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You’re not the first person to be audited by the IRS. Would you blame the president for it if the president didn’t happen to be Obama? Probably not.

Would you be against creating programs to help people get off of welfare and get jobs if it weren’t being spearheaded by Obama? Probably not.

Would you call the president racist for creating a program to help minorities if the president happened to be white and not Obama? Probably not.

You’re blinded by your Obama hate and are unable to be objective.

February 24, 2014 at 5:59 pm

FFAsays:

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I dont recall any other president being busted for using the IRS to go after his opposition. When the govt continues to spend my tax dollars out side the home land when I see the local shelter screaming for help.
If the programs were not racially defined, I would most certainly be for programs to get people back on their feet.

“You’re blinded by your Obama hate and are unable to be objective.”

in Local forums, I bash the hell out of Quinn. I am all about equal opportunity. Right down to local city hall. County Govt. The corner was allowing his employees to take items out of deceased peoples homes… He was not black. Just a scum bag politician over stepping.

OBama does not corner the market for my hatred towards politicians. Got my first BCBS check with the ACA effect on it. NOT GOOD. poured all that money into marketing it based on lies – another reason I hate the guy. Not because of the color of his skin, because he is a liar. He continues to put up barriers for me to keep my head afloat.

February 25, 2014 at 9:00 am

Libbysays:

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Not true, FFA. FDR, JFK, and Nixon were also accused of using the IRS against certain groups.

And, if indeed he had been “busted” he would have been impeached. Accused and convicted are two different things.

February 25, 2014 at 9:20 am

txmouthbreatherboogereatertxsays:

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I see why you are having problems keeping your head above water. If you are posting on this site all day on top of local forums, listening to Lard Limbaugh in the background, then you just aren’t working period. An honest 8 for an honest 8? That sounds like when someone says they are having trouble losing weight as they are eating slabs of ice cream cake wiping their hands over their dicky do. Now, I would normally charge a 1% contingency fee on your book of business to consult with you on how you are managing your business, but since it doesn’t sound like there is much business development going on, we’ll have to settle for $25%. You can email me at ffa@quitlisteningtotednugentandgettowork.com

February 25, 2014 at 10:19 am

FFAsays:

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I stated I dont recall. I am not old enough to remember the presidents you listed. I was in grade school when Nixon was in office.

If I hate liars regardless of the color of their skin, how does that make me a racist?

February 25, 2014 at 11:33 am

FFAsays:

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Libby, two CPA and two tax attorneys both state I did my taxes correctly. Now, I get to bite off a lawyer bill to go to tax court with out the chance of recouping the cost.

February 25, 2014 at 11:51 am

Libbysays:

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Damn that Obama. I’m sure he personally targeted you for audit based on your strong conservative posts on this website.

February 25, 2014 at 12:18 pm

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yes Libby, I tend to Blame OBama and Quinn for things. Especially the lost revenue. About $600,000 in annual premium volume to Quinn for his Workers Comp reform that backfired miserably and now this health care fiasco. Lets not forget my dis like for the Local City hall too.

February 25, 2014 at 12:54 pm

Libbysays:

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I sure wish I could blame politics on all of my problems. Unfortunately for me, they are mostly just bad decisions made by myself. Except for getting laid-off in 2008. That was Bush’s fault.

February 26, 2014 at 4:27 pm

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I dont blame politics for all my woes – and there are plenty. My life is an ever evolving soap opera.

I do blame them for changing the insurance market. They throw out a catch phrase “Workers Comp Reform – Health Care Reform” and then ignore the one think that drives the cost the most – Tort. Then they blame the Insurance Industry and say nothing about the legal environment.

After all is said and done with – Reduction in my Deductible, Reduction in my Premiums and reduction in my income I may break even not including the Marketing / Training Expense I bit off. Aweful lot of time and energy spent to break even.

Hey FFA, isn’t it fun getting the Progressive Trolls after you on every post? By the way, we have talked about how Obamacare has been killing jobs for business all the while Nancy Pelosi has said it would create 4 million jobs. The Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) has just released a study on the Medical Devices Industry and how it has affected them. Since we have a Medical Devices tax built into Obamacare, it has cost this industry 14,000 jobs and quashed hiring 19,000 more. Even the wonderful Al Franken (D-Mn) has called the tax a job killing bill. Add that to the failure to approve Keystone costing 20,000 jobs that even the union wanted and we can see how Progressives are not interested in creating jobs in this country. Keep the population dumbed down, dependent and you have a bunch of lazy bums sitting around watching their flat screens, collecting their welfare, disability, 99weeks and sapping the economy.

Yup, that’s exactly what we want, Agent. We want the entire population dumbed down, dependent and you have a bunch of lazy bums sitting around watching their flat screens, collecting their welfare, disability, 99weeks and sapping the economy.

That way we can be rulers of the poorest, dumbest country in the world.

I know you like the chase Agent. It reminds you of the tomfoolery you did in your frat days, your initiation into the Koch Brothers Club, and your local Chamber of Commerce. Did it always involve gang bangs and bukake parties where you were always the piñata? Just so you could be accepted by people that you think are your peers. “Keeping the population dumbed down” Now that sounds like a true Born Again Texican! As far as Progressives not wanting to create jobs, that would be due in part to our senator friend from Calgary, AB and the rest of his daisy chain. They only way Progressives are going to get a jobs bill passed, is if there is an 8 Ball attached to every bill.

Well agent, add one more. Had every intention of pulling my service rep back in March 1st. Got very busy. My BCBS check came in. Was around $900 @ month. This month, $300.00. So, not only did I lose the money I spent on training and marketing, I lost revenue too. wont know for sure, but looking like a $10,000 expense/Lost revenue on my side.

All based on lies… My fault. I should have know better then to believe a proven liar.

Yes FFA, Our Blue Cross revenue has declined some too due to what has come down. I have heard from customers who have had the Select Choice with rate increases. Some have gone in to the Blue Cross site to get a quote on the new approved Obamacare plans and discovered it is higher than their rate increases, has higher deductibles and much higher out of pocket expense. So far, they are staying put, but they are not happy campers. There is only so much blood in a turnip as they say.

Libby, what did Bush have to do with you getting laid off? It was your employer that pulled the plug on your job, not him. Why not blame Pelosi & Reid for their part in the fiasco of the sub prime Mortgage mess that led to the meltdown? How about Bawney Frank and Chris, the cheater Dodd? Did you forget about their role in this mess? I do blame Bush for part of it since he went along to get along and he should have had the backbone to veto something in his last 2 years. There is enough blame to go around when you get a bunch of Democraps and RINO’s together and they start reaching across the aisle to compromise and do a disservice to the people they represent.

Agent – If you can blame Obama for everything to do with the economy, then I can blame Bush. It happened on his watch and, according to you, anything that happens on the President’s watch is his fault – 100%.

Actually Libby, I am an equal opportunity blamer. Perhaps you have not been paying attention to my tirades against Pelosi & Reid and any other Progressive Democrat in Congress who has imposed the worst governance on this country in modern times.

If you were truly an equal opportunity blamer you would need to add Speaker Boehner and Senate Minority Leader McConnell to your list. Besides wasting taxpayer money by trying to repeal the PPACA and stop anything President Obama or Democrats propose, what have they done to help?

In addition, all politicians who were in office during budget deficits throughout our history. They all have played a part in our current predicament.

February 26, 2014 at 12:53 pm

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Exactly! You are only a one-sided blamer, Agent. “It’s all the democrats fault” is your mantra.

February 26, 2014 at 1:08 pm

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I dont blame OBama for the mess he inherited. I blame him for making things worse (PPACA). I blame him for not taking any action to stop the exporting of the jobs. I blame him for being more concerned about Immigration then jobs. I blame him for continuing to send money over seas and to Canada then keeping tax money here on the home land. He has had 5 years to work on what is important to Americans.

February 26, 2014 at 1:37 pm

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First and foremost, FFA, he worked on avoiding another great depression and he succeeded. The ACA is not the greatest in practice, but Obama was elected on his platform on healthcare reform. He did what we elected him to do. The stock market is expoding. Corporate profits are at a record high. Republicans continuously complain about immigration, so he is working on reform. It’s unfortunate he is not addressing the exact issues that are important in Chicago, IL at this point in time, but he is addressing what’s important overall for the entire country. I’m sorry you can’t see that.

February 26, 2014 at 2:39 pm

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So Ron, you have been sitting on the sideline for a while and just couldn’t resist jumping in to criticize me. Ok, I will now criticize Boehner & McConnell and any other RINO like McCain, Graham who have gone along to get along. I hope McConnell and Boehner have serious opponents in their primaries and are sent packing. Most of the trouble the country has gotten into has been proposed and passed by Liberals for several years. Time for them to go.

February 26, 2014 at 2:57 pm

Libbysays:

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Unfortunately for you, Agent, we outnumber you. Your party is a dwindling, dying breed. All because you don’t know how to compromise. You’d rather did your heels in and be stubborn.

February 26, 2014 at 3:26 pm

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Libby, Jobs are an important issues across the land. More then IL that is hurting. His idea of Health Reform killed many jobs and increased Underempoyment. My oldest has to work two part time jobs to get his 40 in.

On the jobs issue, I do blame all politicians. They have all sat on the sidelines not doing anything about it. no wait, they did do something. Made it more profitable for companies to ship our jobs over seas.

February 26, 2014 at 4:22 pm

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FFA – your anger and outrage are misplaced. The outsourcing of American jobs has been going on for over a decade. It is not this administrations’ doing.

And since companies are making record profits and the stock market is booming, why are they not hiring? Could it be it’s because they can pile more on the backs of their workers because they are just happy to have a job? They can get more for less, thereby doubling their record-breaking profits? Don’t blame the ACA entirely for American businesses not hiring.

February 26, 2014 at 4:30 pm

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Libby, my anger with the current administration is that they are doing nothing to stop it. Everything he does is counter productive. Sending money to Syria, focusing on immigration, not jobs, his lies.

February 26, 2014 at 5:39 pm

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Didn’t you say he is only one man Libby? You can blame all the Progressives & semi Progressive RINO’s for the problem and you may cover it.

That ought to be interesting. Question to Quinn: We understand Illinois is raising taxes again to an astronomical level. How do you think this will attract new business to the state? Answer: Silence. Question to Gov Perry: How is it that you don’t have a state income tax and yet you have a surplus in the Treasury? Answer: We manage our resources wisely and don’t have a union problem in this state and can get by on taxes from oil and gas production, property and sales taxes.

Does Perry still need help on the government agencies that he wants to eliminate, or will he turn to Rand “Aqua Buddha” Paul to help him in the debate in 2016? I would say Ron Paul, but he will not be running for President in 2016.

Question to Gov Perry: How is it that you don’t have a state income tax and yet you have a surplus in the Treasury?

Answer: Because we have no regulations and let companies run wild. They love it down here! Then we blow up our towns and get money from the Feds to rebuild. It’s working great! We need all the unregulated, hazardous business we can get. Come on down!

Wait until we start shutting down these military bases and space invaders manufacturing in Texico. There will be less government money they will be receiving. But then again, watch insurance fraud incidents rise from all that Texican immoral living. The wrath will create more tornados and hurricanes in the tornado bait region aka the Bible Belt. Good thing we have FEMA for them.

Actually, it will be Greg Abbott in November. He will be doing the same thing Perry has been doing, attracting industry and jobs to the state. Welcome State Farm. I hope you like your new digs in the Metroplex. Feel free to add as many good jobs as possible. By the way Booger, is Rachel Madcow your heroine? Sounds about right. He makes a humorous speech and you think he is drunk or on drugs. You can’t win the argument, so you try to vilify a good Governor who has an unmatched record for helping create real jobs.

February 27, 2014 at 8:44 am

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“He will be doing the same thing Perry has been doing.” Getting high and making an ass out of himself. Booyah!

Texas is welcomed to him. Please secede.

February 27, 2014 at 9:19 am

txmouthbreatherboogereatertxsays:

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Can’t stand Maddow and her quirkiness, but if you want, I’ll post every single you tube video pertaining to Perry, including the Niggerhead Ranch. Here are some of the highlights of your new man crush:

“In 2004, Greg Abbott launched an effort to strike down the Americans With Disabilities Act because it was “unconstitutional.” Abbott, himself, is in a wheel chair, following an accident when a tree landed on him. Abbott lost the use of his legs, won a $10 million lawsuit settlement — then immediately championed tort reform. In both of these fights, Abbott fought to prevent Texans from enjoying the same disability assistance — financial and regulatory — that he himself has benefit from.”

Sounds like your kind of guy, Agent!

February 27, 2014 at 11:03 am

txmouthbreatherboogereatertxsays:

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Agent,
Texico will get the new jobs, mainly because the whores that run these companies will go down there for the promise that Texicans can’t keep. Point 1. Based on the education system down there, these companies will not be able to find the people down there with the experience level needed to fill all these jobs (hence these will be call center jobs). They will find order takers which they can pay low wages to but they will not have the numbers of dynamic people that will be needed to operate these facilities (they are more advanced than the Friday night football fan). Point 2. Southerners resent when Northerners move down to the South ‘Murrica and take their jobs. When Northerners see what the school systems are like down there, and the do as I say not as I do culture down there, they move back to civilization. Point 3 – Once we replace Texico with Puerto Rico as the 50th state, these people will want to remain ‘Murrican citizens and will avoid the move all together. We will not grant amnesty or dual citizenship to traitors.

February 25, 2014 at 4:25 pm

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FFA, did you get to see this debate? I didn’t catch it? How did it go?

By the way, I saw an interesting article on Townhall.com titled: 5 Ways Socialism Destroys Societies. It was written by John Hawkins. He has some valid points.
1. It kills economic growth: Socialism strangles economic growth in the crib by penalizing success and rewarding failure. When you loot the successful people in a society and give it to the less successful, you quite naturally reduce the number of successful people and encourage more people to fail. It goes on and on until you get a slow economy that can’t produce enough tax revenue to sustain itself.
2. It stifles Free Speech: Socialism requires protection, propaganda, intimidation and darkness to survive Socialism can’t survive honest, informed debate about its merits among people who are free to choose it or reject it because it wouldn’t survive the conversation.
3. It leads to an increasingly tyrannical government: Freedom and Socialism go together like oil and water. The more Socialism you have, the less freedom you will have because Socialism can’t survive if people are free to choose whether they want Socialism or not. Socialism requires a massive bureaucracy that almost inevitably grows.
4. It creates Strife & Division: Socialism is all about turning people against one another. After all, if you believe in controlling people’s lives, the people who don’t wish to be controlled need to be vilified.
5. Socialists believe the ends justify the means: Like the pigs in Orwell’s Animal Farm, socialists believe that, All animals are created equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

Do any of these reasons sound like what is going on in America right now? Do any of these sound a lot like the Progressive posters on this forum?

Not this one. I do not advocate taking from the rich to give to the poor. Here’s what I say:

We pay taxes. Unlike United Way, we do not have the option to check a box for where we would like our taxes to go. Since taxes are being collected, I think they should be allocated more wisely. NOT collect more taxes. Take the taxes we are already collecting and use them better and more efficiently.

Also, the tax structure needs to be revised. There are far too many loopholes available, so that some people are able to get away with either not paying any taxes, or not paying what they should be paying. Usually the middle class ends up taking up the slack for the rich (loopholes) and the poor (don’t pay taxes.) That isn’t right.

FFA, I am sure the debate will pop up on a website or utube at some point. It will be interesting. By the way, Illinois is not the only place Perry has been recruiting businesses to move down here. He was up in New England, New York as well ruffling feathers of the powers that be. State Farm is just one of many either moving here or moving divisions here to create more jobs. Blue States will continue to fail and lose business because of their tax and regulation policies. Eventually, they run out of people and businesses to tax more and more.

And yet, the Blue States continue to subsidize the Red States. Funny how that works.

February 26, 2014 at 3:07 pm

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Il must be the exception to the rule.

February 26, 2014 at 3:25 pm

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Not hardly. Texas, with it’s no state income tax, had no problem going to the Feds for a hand-out when they blew up West. Where do you think that money comes from? The Blue States. Red States take more federal funds than they contribute. Blue States the opposite. Fact, Jack.

February 26, 2014 at 4:37 pm

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Il, Mich & Ohio are getting these tech center with Fed Money. Last I checked, all three are blue states having economic difficulties.

One of the phone companies ponied up millions a few years back to build one of these tech centers in Chicago. Politician blew it all. If I had to guess, big companies are not throwing money into the kitty for that exact reason. Dont want to give it to a politician just to have him/her blow it.

MI, IL, and OH all had federal surpluses. If anyone deserves it, they do. What they do with it is another thing.

February 27, 2014 at 11:25 am

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So Obama came out yesterday and is asking for $300 Billion more for roads and bridges. Have we not been there, done that under the Stimulus that wasn’t a Stimulus? Perhaps he should check with VP Joe and see if there is some left over money from that disaster before asking for more. We have seen how many jobs that trillion dollar boondoggle produced.

February 27, 2014 at 4:00 pm

txmouthbreatherboogereatertxsays:

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Not as much as the boondoggle we call “The War on Terrah”

February 27, 2014 at 5:58 pm

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Libby, I hate to tell you this, but the citizens of Texas do pay Federal Income Tax, Social Security Tax, Self Employment tax for business owners etc. I think the last time I checked, we had around 25 million population. We pay plenty into the Federal Coffers so they can blow it on entitlements and then reduce our military. By the way, all that money shelled out to states to create exchanges for Obamacare was pure waste since 95% of them don’t work at all or are so bad, they enroll very few. Hawaii got $120 million for theirs and they have enrolled 4,300. That is about $28,000 per enrollee. How is that for efficiency?

February 28, 2014 at 4:26 pm

txmouthbreatherboogereatertxsays:

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But a majority of texican jobs are subsidized through the US Federal government (Big Oil, GI Joe, and Big Rodeo) so your federal taxes just break even. Our ex-pats come back north, we build the wall, change our energy policy, go back to a gold standard. It’s Hola Que Tal Amigo in Dallas!

February 28, 2014 at 4:51 pm

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Agent – Hawaii didn’t need an exchange. It already provides quality healthcare to it’s citizens and has for many years.

February 27, 2014 at 5:49 pm

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FFA, I saw the utube on this meeting today on CNN’s Crossfire hosted by the now infamous Van Jones. Remember him? Perry ran circles around him and Quinn had egg all over his face. I feel sorry for you having to endure this guy up there in the land of Lincoln. Van Jones kept trying to interject his Progressive agenda without any success. They tried to keep up with the mantra that Texas is only creating minimum wage jobs. Perry told them that 95% of all new jobs created were much more than minimum wage jobs. By the way, Texas has created more than 30% of all new jobs in this country in the past 10 years. It is far more than any other state and is probably more than all the blue states combined.

Everything is handled on an Individual Basis. No experience gets $10.00 an hour. I had one that said she was experienced. Paid her $13.00. Turns out she wasn’t worth $8.25. One of those pay me for just sitting here. When I first broke independent, I had one I had to pay $8.25 but was worth $20.00. By the time I could pay her more. someone else took her away from me with $15.00. My biggest personnel regret. But now, she feeds me business. She works for a contractor that pay over $300,000 in premiums. She threw me the building in my mad rush. Told me there are three more coming. Also stated I was getting a look at the whole.

February 21, 2014 at 6:23 pm

Insurance 102says:

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Yawn! Agent continues his vitriol. I have better things to do than listening to his repetition of Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh.

As for Des Moines and Omaha, it is not a slap in the face. I live in New York City, but Des Moines has become one of the largest insurance centers in the world because of its infrastructure, cost of living and educated workforce. As for Omaha, there is a company there (Berkshire Hathaway) with a fairly wealthy person (Warren Buffett) who knows a thing or two about running insurance companies!

As for Agent and FFA’s comments about Democrats and how they want to wreck the economy, please read the link from Forbes Magazine. Forbes is a pretty conservative publication, and its editor ran for the GOP nomination twice! History has shown that under several different economic categories such as:disposable income, GDP growth, corporate profits, stock market returns, etc that the country has done better under Democratic Presidents than Republican presidents!

My mistake FFA. I forgot to include the information on Obama. Here is another article from Forbes. It shows that Obama through his first six years has an economic track record that is better than Ronald Reagan.

I’m glad I read this my mom was recommending me to keep my eyes open for this company but reading this doesn’t give me much of an incentive ultimately that’s the unfortunate nature of working for a publicly traded company is you have to specialize your skills and make yourself an asset to the company in order to maintain job security. I’ve had to cut my losses prospecting for a career in the P&C insurance industry because it’s taken too much of a hit.

Alvin: The P&C industry has not taken too much of a hit. On the contrary, it made record profits in 2013. AIG did not take a hit, it made $2B. Don’t equate laying people off with not making money. And also, please work on your run-on sentences. They will not help you get a job.

FFA, do you remember me talking about my wife and her 5 back operations including 2 major fusions? They all did not work and her pain level was about 8 or 9 on a scale of 1-10. We heard about this new device called a Spine Stimulator and decided to try that since the operations did little good. We had a one week test installation on it to see if it would work. It reduced the pain down to 3 or 4 on the scale which is great. Now, we have to get approval to get it permanently installed. I can’t believe how much this has helped and she is almost like a new woman. It doesn’t work for everyone, but it has sure blocked a lot of the pain coming from the lower lumbar. We are really excited about it.

Agent, If I remember correctly, you stated your wife has Fibro? Surgery is set for next Thursday on the knee from the accident. Second opinion – they are going in with a scope to see if they can “work it back into place”. If not, they will be doing a Meniscus transplant until she is ready for the knee replacement.

If this spine stimulator works for the fibro, that would be great… I have got useful info from most people in this forum. That would top the list… My wife constantly hangs in the 8 – 10 range. Getting to the point where she sleeps most of the day. Lucky to see her awake for a hour these days… Getting her off the narcotics would be awesome!

Actually FFA, my wife had Scoliosis (curvature of the spine)which was the cause of her pain. The fusion surgeries she had was attempting to straighten the spine up and the hope was that it would relieve the pressure on the nerves, but it was all to no avail. The spine stimulator is wires they insert into the spine which is regulated by a control outside. When used properly, it blocks pain signals from the spine to the brain. Quite an ingenious invention if I do say so. Had we known about it earlier, we would have foregone the last fusion operation. She has been living on pain killers for several years like your wife has. I do think cutting the pain more than half is real progress and if she can get that consistently, she can resume some activity again that she hasn’t been able to do for about 10 years.

FFA, my wife reminded me that she also had Fibro as well as the Scoliosis so she has had the double dose of pain. They pulled the test wires out of her yesterday and did the interview on how it helped. Now, we have to wait about 3 weeks to get the approval to do the permanent procedure. That 3 weeks cannot come soon enough for her and me.

FFA, I hope your wife does well with her surgery. I have a friend at church who had double knee replacement and is undergoing rehab now. He is doing pretty well all things considered although there is a lot of pain.

By the way, I understand this Stimulator technology is used for other things than just backs. We learned from a friend that had bad debilitating Migraines that they can stimulate the area causing it and shut off the Migraines. The technology has come a long way in recent years. We will keep you posted how how this works out.

February 28, 2014 at 1:07 pm

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Out of all the useful info coming off IJ, you may get the Bozo button. Seem like you could be leading me to bucket number 6. Would be awesome – reduced pain. She wake me u in the middle of the night crying in her sleep.

February 26, 2014 at 4:26 pm

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FFA, you should go onto townhall.com today and see the story on Harry Reid saying “all” the horror stories on Obamacare are all lies. Yes, there is a video on it. Hear it from his own lips. He blames all the bad stories of victims on the Koch Brothers. Wow, I didn’t know they wrote the law or did the website or are doing the rate increases or out of pocket expenses. According to him, these stories that come out are all lies and the affected people are not real. Pretty amazing that this man is still in office. He sounds a lot like Planet, Ins102, Ron and others that deny there is a problem with this disaster of a law.

Well FFA, I wish we had known about the Spine Stimulator earlier in the game and we would have tried it before the last fusion operation. After that one, my wife had an embolism that almost killed her. In the hospital 17 days after our gifted heart surgeon removed it. She was almost a goner and he said if she had just been put on blood thinner, she would have been dead in 2 days.

Wow FFA. How can a state government be so consistently corrupt and every Governor you elect ends up in trouble and eventually gets put in prison? If he gets convicted, how many will that be, 3 serving time? I might add that they are all Democrats who seemed to think they could do whatever they wanted. I guess they didn’t learn much from the previous convicted Governors.

Last I seen, he is on the lecture circuit. Have not been in the news for a while. They did let him out for his wifes funeral. Obama has a half a brain, he would steer clear of this guy.

The Repubs are on a full scale assault of Quinn. A bunch of the Rep Primary Candidates are also going after Bruce Rauner. Rauner is a self made business man / Millionaire. No one in the Rep Party is backing this guy. Career politicians are especially afraid of this guy. Rauner got my vote. A Business Man, not a politician. I will be following the vote them all out line of thinking.

February 26, 2014 at 2:47 pm

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FFA, allow me to quote a wise man and one of the greatest statesmen of the 20th Century.

“The inherent vice of Capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of Socialism is the equal sharing of miseries” – Sir Winston Churchill

FFA, I saw a great political cartoon this morning. It was a picture of Obama on a billboard with a bottle of snake oil in his hands. The caption was: UNEMPLOYED? I will increase the cost to hire you by 40%. The label on the bottle said $10.10.

I am sure employers are jumping for joy just waiting to put his minimum wage plan into force driving up their labor costs.

February 27, 2014 at 3:48 pm

FFAsays:

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Way to keep up the unemployment rate!!! Lets stifle the fastest growing segment of the work force.

March 4, 2014 at 11:49 am

txmouthbreatherboogereatertxsays:

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Texico would be just as corrupt with prisons filled with local dog catchers, but there aren’t any laws down there to break. Just don’t be black, liberal, or unarmed and you’ll be ok. Keep schlobbin’ the right knobbin’!

Well, we are having some hot political action in Texas as well. Wendy Davis is running for Governor against Gregg Abbot. She is using ACORN tactics to sign up mystery people to vote for her. The problem is that Texas requires photo ID to vote and many of them are fake people who think they can vote like the people in Ohio did in 2012 multiple times. Not so much here. You have to be registered and give them ID or you don’t vote. When I voted in the primary last week, I told the lady I didn’t mind showing my ID and registration card. An elderly lady behind me left her ID at home and she couldn’t vote. I think she went back home and got it and came back later. By the way, I voted for Kevin Stockman against the incumbent John Cornyn because Cornyn has been there too long and Stockman is much more Conservative. Wendy Davis is trailing Abbot by anywhere between 11-15% in the polls and the gap has been getting wider since last month. By November, it should be a landslide for Abbott who is an honorable man and she is nothing more than a Progressive witch.

Yes, FFA. I hardly have time to keep putting Ron, Libby & 102 in their place, but I work it in. Renewed 3 Commercial accounts, bought a new website to replace our tired one and dealt with 2 marketing reps, reported a couple of claims. I am looking forward to Saturday so I can tee it up in 70 degree weather. I am going to pretend the ball is a head of a Progressive so I will get extra distance when I tee off.

Wow! You renewed 3 whole accounts and reported a couple of claims? You must be exhausted! Not to mention meeting with to carrier reps and signing up for a website. You definitely need a vacation, Agent. LOL!! I run circles around you and still have time to stick it to you on IJ.

Libby, I think it is you who admitted to being tired all the time. FFA and I are busy writing and renewing business while you are blogging almost full time on this forum. Does your boss know how much time you are devoting to running agents down?

Funny thing, you’re on here as much as I am, Agent. Yeah, I’m tired. From running circles around your ass. LOL!!!

March 3, 2014 at 12:29 pm

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Yes, folks, I am tired all the time… Working 6 & 7 days a week just to stay on top. Throw in my personal issues – my parents in particular (I’m the one “On Call”) – it has been an exhausting 24 moth stretch.

March 3, 2014 at 12:45 pm

Agentsays:

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Libby, all I mentioned was business I was taking care of, not all my duties. Agents like FFA & I have to pay a lot of expenses and deal with many issues to keep an agency running. This is something you have no clue about since you sit in your 4X4 cubicle ranting and raving.

March 3, 2014 at 12:50 pm

Libbysays:

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Go screw, Agent. You’re business is no great shakes compared to the agencies I’ve worked in. You’re small time, small potatoes. So go pay your little bills, renew your little accounts, and abuse your staff some more. I’ll continue to run circles around you any day of the week.

February 27, 2014 at 6:33 pm

FFAsays:

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I have been hammered… $4000 Home & Auto account. $20,000 Contractor. Small Commercial Auto policy. Renewed a small comp premium at about $6200. Went for renewal review down in Chicago. One of my biggest. They told me to bump everything. Payroll 2x sub cost went from $200000 up to 922000.

FFA – As IA agents, we talk in commission dollars. I know your captive background taught you to speak in premium dollars, but as an IA they mean nothing. If your $4k P/L account pays 15%, then its a $600 account. If your $6,200 WC policy pays 5%, it’s a $310 account.

My regional pays 20%. I could not finish my post, phone rang. The 6200 renewal was at 5%. Just wrapped up another $20,000 (call that came through while I was posting), and a commercial building for $6000. All but the monoline comp went to the regional. So – $800, $310, $4000 & $1200 = 6310.00 this week.
Additionally, my 4th biggest account renewal review: Sub Contracted cost was rated at $200,00 and should be moved to $922,000. Direct payroll form $150,000 to $300,000, two new autos, increase installation floater to $100,000 (two time what it was) and then my other commercial builder called and told me to increase everything (Sub & Payroll Cost). There have also been a bunch of Misc add ones. Also took info on another contractor with 13 Comm Vechs, an extensive equipment list and a whole bunch of payroll. Most of this activity is with my Regional Carrier. Not sure where all the add on are taking me, but it wold be safe to say, I had close to a $20,000 commission week.

I have all but abandoned the Obama Care.

BTW, I need to track volume for E & O. My ultimate goal is $5Mil in volume. Sitting around $3M right now. 40% is Mono Line Comp at the 5% scale.

Moral of the story, maybe IL is turning around. Or am I just taking someones (another agent) problems?

Side note, call service rep back on Monday…. Just too much to handle for two men.

FFA, Maybe it is just me, but I think you need a crackerjack CSR in both Commercial & Personal Lines to do your submissions, rating and put things together for you. I have two great Commercial CSR’s and two great Personal Lines CSR’s and it is still a problem keeping up with it all. Luckily, we have a tremendous operating system and so much is done online for quoting and approval.

Yes. that was my gal I laid off. I hope she is still hanging around the funemployment line. If not, I have another one hanging out there with experience…

With my IRS mess, worried about funding it all.

February 28, 2014 at 4:45 pm

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FFA, if you can get to $5mil, you should be able to handle at least one good Commercial CSR and one good Personal Lines CSR and that will make life easier on you assuming your markets hold up and you can get good enough coverage and pricing to get the name on the bottom line. Most of my renewals are going up due to market conditions and some are a tough sell. NCCI’s formula for calculating Emods on WC are very punitive. I just renewed one for $151,000. His mod went up 25 points due to one year where actual losses were only a 43% Loss Ratio. His three year L/R was 27%. He was penalized for frequency, not severity. Anyway, his renewal is $25,000 more than last year due to the mod and his increased payroll. Good thing he has Texas Mutual who has paid him dividends over the years.

One way or the other, we all end up at the same thing – Commission Revenue.

March 3, 2014 at 2:14 pm

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It is not the same thing. App count and premium volume have no bearing on an agency’s numbers.

All presentations, from the CEO down, were made using revenue numbers. The principal did not ever look at premium volume unless it was in reference to a carrier contract.

You just don’t know what you’re talking about. If you are concerned with premium volume, you shouldn’t be. It is of no consequence as to how successful your business is or isn’t. If you can’t see that, there is no hope for you.

It would be like me saying “Well, I get paid every other week instead of once a month, so I must be making more money.”

Commission dollars are all that is important when it comes to income in an agency. Your expenses are deducted from commission, not premium. Your profit is a function of commission dollars, not premium.

Again, when you’ve been a successful IA for as long as I have, let’s have a discussion. Until then, you’re a former captive agent trying to be an independent; not willing to listen to someone that’s been hugely successful at it for 33+ years.

If you want to hang with the big dogs, you need to play like the big dogs – not a miniature schnauzer.

March 3, 2014 at 3:27 pm

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I cant explain why they talked Ap Count. I have no idea. In my captive days, I only seen the CEO one time. All he talked about was Share Holder crap and was not approachable.

You stated the importance of premium volume in one of your examples.

You right, we are saying the same thing. I have already agreed to that – one dime or two nickles.

With our premium there is no commission. I would argue they are both important.

I am new to the IA side. That is why I asked agent – a principle – for his perspective.

Did you catch that- I asked Agent for his perspective on current market conditions NOT YOU. Now your just looking for an argument that dont exist. At the end of the discussion, we are all getting to the same thing – Commissions.

Are you ADD? I have had a lot of experience with that and you are presenting exactly like that today – arguing for the sake of arguing.

March 4, 2014 at 8:34 am

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I’m not ADD, but I think you may be deaf. Or just dim. I’ll let you two very important principals talk about premium volume and will not interject. You’re obviously not interested in my opinion. After all, I’m just a lowly employee. And a girl.

March 4, 2014 at 8:55 am

Libbysays:

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If you don’t know the difference between premium and commission, then neither of you deserve to be in this business – let alone run an agency.

March 4, 2014 at 10:14 am

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Well, I am losing my hearing. Its in my blood line. One Brother deaf in one ear. My sis is wearing hearing aids in both ears.

I asked agent for a reason – he is the one closest to my operations in this forum.

I asked you where to place Restaurants & Bowling Alleys because that is what your know.

And no, I had no interest in your opinion. I only wanted to know if my agency is the only one out here that seen a surge since Feb 1. The rest of the conversation was pointless.

Whats the difference of the two formulas when we get to the end?

x times 5% = 5000
100000 times 5% = Y?

Hint – NONE. Says the same thing at the end.

You been trying to argue with me for the sake of arguing.

March 4, 2014 at 10:42 am

Libbysays:

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I was not arguing for argument’s sake. If you don’t understand the difference between talking in premium dollars and talking in commission dollars, then you are hopeless. They are not the same thing, otherwise they would be the same and they’re not.

But since you’re not interested in my opinion, I won’t bother trying to explain in to you – AGAIN.

March 4, 2014 at 11:43 am

FFAsays:

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Libby, this has to be the dumbest debate you and I have ever engaged in.
You have provided useful info in the past and I do appreciate that.
Thank you for that.
If I can do the same for you, let me know. Happy to help anyone that needs it.

March 4, 2014 at 12:01 pm

Libbysays:

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I won’t be providing anymore useful information now that I know my opinions are not valued. After 34 years, I don’t have to own an agency to know how to run one. You name the position, I’ve done it. Licensing, contracts, personal, commercial, claims, loss control, training, supervising, managing, setting policy and procedures, disciplining, hiring, firing, budgeting, relationship management, negotiating, rating, selling. If it has to do with property casualty insurance, you name it. I’ve done it. So I don’t appreciate being talked down to like I’m your know-nothing CSR/girl.

March 4, 2014 at 12:38 pm

FFAsays:

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Be that as it may Libby, I am not one to carry a grudge especially when it involves a different way of looking at things when we get to the same answer.

If I can be of help to you, just give a shout.

March 4, 2014 at 12:50 pm

Libbysays:

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It was not looking at something different ways and getting the same answer. It was apples and oranges.

March 4, 2014 at 1:26 pm

FFAsays:

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UNCLE!

March 4, 2014 at 1:30 pm

Libbysays:

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Sorry, but it’s a pet peeve of mine and one of my hot buttone. I told you up front I wouldn’t back down on it. You and Agent just tried to out-stubborn me. Big mistake.

March 4, 2014 at 3:13 pm

FFAsays:

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All I wanted to know is if Agent who has a similar operation to mine has seen a surge.

March 4, 2014 at 3:40 pm

Libbysays:

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You posted new business numbers and I questioned whether it was premium or revenue, because I had a feeling you were using premium numbers.

I was trying to be helpful by pointing out that revenue pays the bills on the agency side and agents speak in terms of revenue, not premium. You and Agent decided to argue with me because I’m not a “business owner” and “just” an employee. It was rude and condescending. I am every bit your equal, if not more.

March 4, 2014 at 5:04 pm

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I never said you weren’t my equal. I stated that Agent has a similar operation to mine and I wanted to know if he was experiencing a surge like I am. I provided some details to him so he could respond Yes I am or No I am not.

When I needed market advice, I asked you and no one else got offended.

You seem way more irritable then usual. If there are underlying issues, I hope they get worked out soon enough.

March 5, 2014 at 8:52 am

Libbysays:

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Yes, I am more irritable than normal. Not sure what the deal is, but hope it passes soon.

March 5, 2014 at 10:36 am

FFAsays:

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Well, for your sake, I hope things get ironed out quickly. Almost sounds to me like menopause. I have had my experience with that.

March 3, 2014 at 11:02 am

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FFA, did you notice that the lib’s on this blog almost always talk a different language than we do? I knew exactly what you meant when you were talking about your accounts. We know premium vs revenue and they think only in terms of revenue. Maybe they think we can’t figure out what the revenue is on a $20,000 account.

Agent, Its the difference between being an owner vs an employee. When I direct my comments to a principle, I talk in volume. Its what we understand. When I direct to a non principle, its commission.

Libby talks in Commission because that is what is important to her. You and I talk Premium Volume because that is whats important to a principle.

Funny how this all came about because I asked you if you have been busy.

March 3, 2014 at 1:36 pm

Libbysays:

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Bullshit FFA. I never had a principal speak to me about premium volume. I don’t know how much clearer I can be.

PREMIUM DOESN’T PAY THE BILLS.

REVENUE PAYS THE BILLS.

You keep daying I don’t know what I’m talking about because I’m just a lowly employee, but it’s you two that don’t have a clue.

When you’ve worked for a National Alphabet house, handled a $12M book (that’s premium volume for you rookies), managed a staff of 14, and run various departments including, commercial lines, personal lines, claims, and loss control – let’s talk. Until then, keep your silly comments to yourself. You’re just embarrassing yourselves.

March 3, 2014 at 2:44 pm

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FFA, It is quite apparent that Libby has never seen a production statement or a commission statement from a carrier or had to anazlyze where the agency stands with the carrier on production and whether they are in the hunt for contingency bonus. You and I know what the commission per cent is on the lines we write. We also know from the commission statement how much we made for the month. We add them all up for the monthly total. That is not rocket science. If we do well, we make money. We then have to subtract monthly expenses to see if we made a profit for the month. All agents have fast months, slow months and hopefully we have more fast than slow. My slowest months are still profitable, but the fast months are really good.

March 3, 2014 at 3:52 pm

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FFA, as we have seen over the past two or three years, Libby will argue with a fence post. If she were so smart, she should have just gone out and started her own agency or bought one out. She would have quickly found out there is more to it than she thought. I kind of doubt that she could sell her way out of a paper bag and would be looking to sell or merge with a larger agency within a year. What marketing rep worth his own salt would appoint her with that attitude?

March 4, 2014 at 8:39 am

Libbysays:

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Agent – you act like you actually STARTED an agency. You didn’t. You bought one. Not that hard to do.

I not only have seen a commission statement, but analyzed data for contingent purposes on our 5 largest carriers. I was privy to the agency contract, income statements, and loss data.

I was the agency liaison for several large carriers, met with the carrier reps and underwriters, discussed new business, and the status of the agency’s numbers.

But you go ahead and call me a CSR. As usual, you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.

I like those Packages which pay 15%, BAP at 15%. Our WC carrier pays average of 7.5%. You can come out on that scenario, particularly if you write all lines for the customer. Middle Market of $25,000 – $50,000 is our meat. We write a bunch of them and don’t look at jumbo accounts. Everybody is quoting on them all the time and if you lose one, it hurts the bottom line a lot. It is much easier to retain the small to medium sized accounts and we hardly ever lose one unless they sell out or merge with a bigger company.

Yes, Libby, the mod is correct. I got my training working for Liberty Mutual as a young producer and they taught us all how to calculate mods and how to check them for accuracy. However, in recent years, the factors have been changed and I think are much more punitive for losses for both frequency and severity.

Regarding your question on premium volume vs revenue, FFA was talking about volume. If he was running $5mil premium volume, he is probably averaging 10% commission revenue which would be $500,000. He can live on that and pay CSR’s and expenses. Hard for an agent to make it on $300,000 revenue with all the expenses involved with an agency. Our average commission hovers at around 12% for all business combined. Any agent that would tell you he averages 15% commission for all lines is a liar. Since you know so much about your agent/employer, what do you think he is running on commission percent/revenue?

Agent – you don’t have to be so snarky all the time. It was a valid question and I didn’t imply that you didn’t know how the calculation worked.

As far as ballparking 10% on an entire book of business, yes that is the rule of thumb. However, if you say I just wrote a $50,000 account a fair question is Premium or Revenue? There’s a big difference. Any independent agent that uses premium as a reference to revenue doesn’t know much about the business. Premium doesn’t pay the bills – commission/fee revenue does.

March 3, 2014 at 12:26 pm

FFAsays:

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Libby, owners need to think in terms of premium volume. Its a question on the E & O Renewal as well as the mix of business %% wise.

March 3, 2014 at 12:46 pm

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FFA – yes, it’s important to know your mix of business. That’s what reports are for. But when talking about dollars and cents, it’s commission &/or fee revenue only. I’ve NEVER worked for an agency (and I’ve been at this since 1980) that spoke in terms of premium volume unless they were talking to a carrier rep.

I’m sorry, but I will not back down on this one and we will have to agree to disagree. Since when did premium pay your bills?

March 3, 2014 at 12:58 pm

FFAsays:

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Since its the basis of the Commission revenue. Since its a factor on the E % O renewal. I used to concern myself with Ap Count. The way I figured it was the more apps, the more Premiums Dollars the more the Commission.

You as an employee dont need to concern your self with Premiums volume because you are not the Principle.

Side note, there is no write or wrong way to look at it. One feeds the other. Nothing to disagree on. You call it two nickles, I call it a dime. Ultimately, it the same thing.

March 3, 2014 at 1:08 pm

Libbysays:

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Again, I’ll agree to disagree. Premium has nothing to do with an agency’s income. Only revenue. Whether that’s commission revenue or fee-based revenue. We wrote alot of large accounts on a net-commission basis and charged a service fee in lieu of commission. That premium had NOTHING to do with our income, only the fee was important.

Your captive background (as well as Agent’s) taught you to look at premium, because that’s what was important to your carrier. An IA only gets paid on commission. Yes, it’s a factor of premium, but again:

$20,000 x .15 = $3,000
$20,000 x .05 = $1,000

What does premium have to do with calling that a $20k account? It doesn’t. It’s either a $3k account or a $1k account. That’s the ONLY way to look at it as an agent. Your income determines the level of service you can provide and how much profit you’re actually making on the account.

If you write a $100,000 contractor at 10%, but it cost you $11,000 to service it, you are LOSING money. The only way to know that is to look at your revenue on the account, not the premium.

I will not change my position on this. If you want to continue to quote premium when talking about new business, go ahead. But it only makes you look like you don’t know what you’re doing.

February 28, 2014 at 5:03 pm

Agentsays:

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Libby, an agent with revenue of $5million has about $40 million in premium volume at present day commission income. No wonder they could afford 30+ people. Why did they let you go if they had that kind of revenue and you are good at your job?

They didn’t let me go. I left for a better opportunity with an agency that wrote $1M COMMISSION REVENUE in the first quarter of 2001. My book went from $400k REVENUE to $1.2M REVENUE in less than a year. That was the most fun I ever had.

March 3, 2014 at 12:52 pm

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Libby, I don’t get snarky until you make remarks like I don’t know what I am doing. I have a very good record over a long time and I have been trained well and you make a remark like I should check the emod calculations. By the way, we get very good reports from our operating system for premium and revenue both Personal Lines & Commercial and Life & Health. I look at the overall commission per cent and can hit it pretty much on the button. The things that trouble me are the fact that we are growing each year, but the expenses take a bigger bite each year and much of it is beyond our control.

March 3, 2014 at 12:53 pm

Libbysays:

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An agency with revenue of $5M has revenue of $5M. Period.

Premium is only important when looking at contingency agreements and carrier contracts.

I get so tired of having to teach this business. You should know all of this by now, Mr. Bossman.

March 3, 2014 at 12:57 pm

Libbysays:

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If you are growing each year, but expenses take a bigger bite then you need to get off the computer and sell more, Agent. Problem solved. There is no problem so big that new business can’t solve.

And I, in NO WAY, insinuated you did not understand mod calculations. I only asked if it had been checked yet. You’re the one that is a little touchy about your knowledge level. Not me. I’m very secure in my insurance knowledge level and my level of performance. I will continue to question yours as you continue to make stupid comments like IAs use premium volume as a tool for caculating their income.

Your Liberty upbringing is showing. It’s now time to be a REAL agent.

March 4, 2014 at 10:57 am

Agentsays:

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Actually Libby, your assumptions are BS as usual. I was associated with this agency for 10 years and my production amounted to more that half the premium/revenue during that time. My partner had about a third of it. The former owner was paid for his accounts over a 3 year period and then it was ours. By the way, we lost very few accounts of his over that time. We worked very hard to continue to grow the agency and it is now over twice as big as when we started 13 years ago. Doubling an agency’s size is not a failure by anyone’s standards. We have carriers calling us all the time wanting to appoint. Why is that? You are rating yourself too highly. My head CSR meets with Marketing Reps all the time to discuss new business, new offerings, changes to the submission process etc.

How do you know I rate myself too highly? You still think I’m a CSR. I was senior management in a national brokerage (think Marsh Mac, AJG, Aon.) You’re always running me down and you know nothing about me or my background. I know plenty about you.

March 3, 2014 at 11:34 am

Agentsays:

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No Libby, IA agents talk in premium dollars on accounts, not revenue. We know the revenue will follow and it doesn’t take long to figure out how much that will be.

Good for you FFA. Stick with the P&C and you will do fine. I have an account that has doubled in size in the past two years. Of course, he makes equipment for the Oil & Gas Industry and he has trouble staying up with demand since there is so much activity in southern and west Texas. Texas keeps developing Energy and shipping it back north and east in the pipelines to keep all those blue states warm. You should have seen Perry ripping Quinn a new one in that so called debate.

FFA, if you can pull it up, the main video are remarks from the Governors meeting and it is good. On the colume on the right, look for the Crossfire video with Van Jones. That is where they get into it on jobs.

February 28, 2014 at 12:46 pm

FFAsays:

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Something wrong with the link. I’ll be spending the week end with my tech head nephews. Ill have them dig it out.

Off to the Wilderness in Wi Dells. dont have the time to take off, but need a sanity break. Two whole days away this weekend! Yahoo!!!

February 28, 2014 at 7:10 pm

Insurance 102says:

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With the weekend here, all those that want to drop agent a personal e-mail, his e-mail address is below:

Yes Libby, we know how “big time” you are. You were so invaluable your employer cut you loose and then you had to move to Pennsylvania to find another job at much less pay in your one horse town. Big time Metro agents can have the big time. They can also have the headaches of managing several locations and dealing with cantankerous CSR’s like you.

I wasn’t cut loose when I moved to PA. I quit to move to PA to marry my husband. And yes, I was invaluable. When I left, they hired 2 people to handle my book. Which, by the way was an entire book of Liberty business that used to be captive. I had a big job on my hands retraining the 2 Liberty producers that came with the book on how to do things as an Independent. The first thing that went out the window? Speaking about premium volume. They are both now very successful IA’s thanks to me teaching them about ACORD forms, the market place, and how to put together a winning submission. All things that were foreign to them.

When I was let go in 2008, it was because 1/2 the company was let go and I was the corporate trainer, not tied to revenue. Easily expended. It had nothing to do with my job performance.

So again, go pay some of those bills you’re always bellyaching about and shut the hell up.

Yes Libby, we know how unsuccessful Liberty Mutual has been for many, many years. They don’t train their people very well and have no clue how to put an account together and then go sell it. What are they, top 5 of all companies domiciled in the USA? They have been so unsuccessful, they have bought several IA companies like Safeco who is now the 2nd biggest Personal Lines writer for Independent Agencies nationwide and just passed the $6Billion mark for premium writings. Yes indeed, they are a loser big time.

Where did you get that from my post? I never said Liberty was unsuccessful, just clueless about the IA world. Really, Agent. You need to get to that remedial reading comprehension class.

Or count up some premium.

March 4, 2014 at 11:58 am

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Libby, You said the former Liberty guys had to be completely retrained on how to work in the IA environment. You intimated that they didn’t know how to work before you got hold of them and made them successful. I didn’t need a CSR to hold my hand when I came over from Liberty. I knew how to make calls, get interest, pick up info and do applications and then do proposals and sell it. I wonder why half a large agency was let go including you. I thought you only worked for highly successful agents with a lot of “revenue”.

March 4, 2014 at 12:10 pm

Libbysays:

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Funny, Agent. You’re the only ex-Liberty person I know of that used ACORD forms while working with Liberty. Or used markets other than Liberty when selling for Liberty. Those Liberty producers were crackerjack sales guys and knew insurance, but they had never seen an ACORD form and knew nothing about products, pricing, appetite of any carrier other than Liberty. And yes, that’s where I came in. I’m not taking anything away from their abilities and they’ll be the first ones to tell you they were lost until I came on board. They appreciated someone taking the time to show them the ropes. They weren’t arrogant like you.

And as if I have to explain myself to you, I was laid-off in 2008. Do you remember what happened in 2008, Agent? My agency was family owned and the father had turned the operation over to his son, who overextended with a new corporate logo, brand new building in downtown Denver, new Oil & Gas operation in Dallas, and a new President that knew not the first thing about running an agency – he was from Travelers.

Before you knew it, the agency sold all it’s other subsidiary locations, sold off it’s aviation division, and laid-off 1/2 the staff within 6 months. The son/CEO was arrested and convicted of insider training, the ex-Travelers guy got the boot, and the agency was bought by a national house. OK? It had nothing to do with me or my performance.

February 28, 2014 at 12:51 pm

Agentsays:

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Sometimes a link doesn’t translate and I am not geek enough to get it.

Libby, I hate to tell you this, but Acord applications are a piece of cake compared to the apps we had to fill out with Liberty Mutual. I was handed apps by the agent I worked for when I came over and marvelled at how simple they were. I didn’t need a CSR to show me how to do them. I got good info, filled them out and they were submitted to quote. The only thing that got in the way was the appetitite of the carriers on whether they would take the class I was submitting. I quickly got that info to get a good idea on where to go with an account. It is not “Rocket Science”. It looks like you joined a band of thieves and incompetents instead of a stable, growing agency. You should have stayed with Marsh Mc. All they did was get caught bid rigging with companies like AIG.

Thanks for the compliment Libby even if it is sarcastic and mean spirited. Unless you are an agency owner, you will never be half as successful as I am. You are the hired help and I am the decision maker. My decision making has led to the growth of my agency and we do very well indeed. We give instructions to our employees, they do their job and we continue to do well despite hard and soft markets and what the economy is doing. We just bought a new website that will help us continue to grow. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Yessa, massa, I be the hired help. You sure put me in my place, didn’t you?

I’d much rather be the hired help for a multi-million dollar agency than the owner of a Mom & Pop operation like yours. How many homeowners policies have you written today? I quit doing that 30 years ago. Bigger and beter, Agent, bigger and better.

March 5, 2014 at 12:34 pm

Agentsays:

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Enjoy your cut in pay working in jerkwater, PA Libby. You have a bright future as a glorified CSR.

FFA, looks like State Farm is heading them up, moving them out. I wonder how many of those Illinois employees are moving to Texas in the transfer. I am still guessing they will have to hire plenty of local people to man the new digs in DFW.

FFA, on a side note, Obama is talking tough to Putin. All he has to do to scare Putin is to say: If you like Ukraine, you can keep it. That ought to do the trick, right?

March 4, 2014 at 11:46 am

FFAsays:

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Why are the folks in DC even concerned about that region?

March 4, 2014 at 4:09 pm

Agentsays:

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Hey FFA. I have an article to quote on Economics for the Ron’s, Libby’s, Planets, Ins102’s out there since they have been brainwashed into thinking Reaganomics did not work to restore the country after the Jimmy Carter debacle. The Pittsburg Tribune-Review published this and itis republished on GOPUSA. It highlights the difference between Reagan and our current President on how they are trying to recover the economy.

Reagan inherited an abysmal economy from Carter. The economy had double digit inflation, high unemployment, little business activity, high taxes and the term malaise was used constantly. Reagan’s prescription was four pronged. Tax Cuts, Deregulation of government departments, reductions in the rate of government spending and carefully managed growth of the money supply. He wanted to stimulate economic growth via tax cuts, allowing the American People to keep their money and invest it more wisely and efficiently than government. In effect, it was a private sector stimulus, a stark contrast to Obama’s massive $800 Billion public sector Stimulus which we now know created very few jobs and only added to the debt. Reagan simplified the tax code from 16 brackets to 2. It not only simplified the code, it eliminated loopholes and eliminated 4 million working poor from the tax rolls. The rate was cut from 70% to 28%. Of course, it took a couple of years to recover the economy during 82-83, but then it kicked in and sparked the largest peacetime recovery in modern history, 92 months. The Poverty Rate dropped, the standard of living soared, the Dow Jones average tripled from 83-89. Double digit inflation and interest rates were vanquished. Blacks and Hispanics did much better and Black owned businesses increased 40% and the number of blacks going to college increased 30%. Hispanic owned businesses in the 80’s grew an astounding 81%.

Unfortunately, the lessons learned from Reaganomics have been lost on the liberal leaning politicians whose saviour was John Maynard Keynes who think spending a country into bankruptcy is the way to go. We are paying a terrible price right now for this twisted thinking with Obama and his cohorts. He just sent over a budget for a mere $3.9 Trillion with more spending and higher taxes. Isn’t that a plan?

March 3, 2014 at 3:03 pm

Agentsays:

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We hope they will stay there and collect their 99 weeks and then apply for disability. We have good jobs paying good wages down here and the cost of living is much less. Oh, did I forget? No state income tax to pay as well.

Hey FFA. I don’t know about you, but when I go to the IA convention and talk with other agents, we never discuss how much “revenue” our agency has. It is none of theirs or my business. We do talk about ranges of premium volume and I never give them the exact amount. On surveys sent by companies or Insurance Journal I take from time to time, all they want to know is how many employees we have and a range of premium volume.

FFA, I just saw a funny political cartoon. Picture Obama & Kerry discussing Putin and the tough talk going on. Obama tells Kerry – That will teach him to mess with me. I just signed Putin up for Obamacare. I am still laughing about it.

You mean with Wendy Davis? She has been falling steadily behind for the last 3 months even with her Acorn people trying to register mystery people to vote. I wonder how they will vote if they have to show a photo ID.

Yes Libby, they still have IA conventions and seminars for Independent Agents to share info on the market, meet vendors and agents forums to share info on what has worked for them to grow their agencies. Some of the big time agents who have several locations, employ numerous producers and CSR’s do things that are amazing, but it doesn’t fit our operation and we will let them do their thing and we will do ours which has worked well in our smaller city. I have seen some of these big outfits get over extended and go belly up like yours did. Bigger is not always better.

Good for you Libby. If you did go to a convention, you would cause a firestorm and they would quickly ban you after hearing your opinions on how they should run their agency. By the way, there are plenty of big hitters that are members of IIAT here. Pennsylvania, maybe not so much.

I used to be on the board. LOL! But that, as I said before, was a million years ago. I couldn’t be bothered these days.

March 7, 2014 at 10:05 am

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Actually Libby, they also offer conventions/seminars for small agencies as well. I don’t go to those because they are suited to small mom & pops. It doesn’t apply to us so we go to the ones with the larger agencies who have facilities and the technology commitment in today’s world.